Ex-Hells Angels president sentenced to prison

San Diego  The former president of the local chapter of the Hells Angels was sentenced Thursday to 25 years to life in prison after he was convicted of several felony charges including solicitation of murder and kidnapping.

Stephen Sanders, 44, admitted he kidnapped two people for the benefit of a criminal street gang, prosecutors said in a news release. While his case was pending on the kidnapping charges, he conspired to have witnesses and law enforcement officers associated with the case killed.

The District Attorney’s Office prosecuted several cases involving Sanders over the past couple of years.

In 2012, he was convicted of solicitation to commit murder, as well as robbery and assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury. In April and June of this year, he pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon, the kidnapping charges and gang allegations.

San Diego Superior Court Judge Robert O’Neill denied Sanders’ request to withdraw his guilty plea before ordering the prison sentence.